Entrepreneurs – Keep Yourself Healthy (and Happy!)

Friday,July22nd,2011

One trait that is very common among entrepreneurs is the drive to get things done! After all, that energy and self-confidence is what makes us successful in the first place.

Stay active. Since most entrepreneurs are a fireball of energy, this is one of the easiest tips to follow. But knowing when to stop without overdoing it can be a problem. Each of us has a different rhythm and learning how to pace yourself to yours can be a huge bonus in productivity and health.

Relax. This can be one of the hardest things for us to do. With our minds on new ideas and how to make those ideas work best for us, downtime is something we tend to ignore. Always having a notepad and pen available for new flashes of insight will help to give us back our ability to focus on just us, not us and everything else! I know that many use a mobile or portable device for this but setting yourself free from always being available is a huge step toward enjoying your downtime.

Eat well. This should be a no-brainer but eating on the run or just throwing something together quickly is usually a bad idea unless you’re extremely organized and have the types of snacks available that won’t lead to weight gain and bad health. There is such a thing as healthy fast food – think cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, nuts, the list goes on.

Sleep. Being somewhat of an insomniac, I’m very aware of how important it is to be well rested. If you are having a hard time sleeping, look into more natural methods of getting a good night’s sleep rather than resorting to prescription or over the counter medications. Relaxation exercises and just good old exercise helps to clear your mind at the end of the day.

Put yourself out there. Volunteer or help someone out who could use your helping hand. Focusing on others instead of ourselves is a give-give situation, we all benefit. Join a new group or club. This can lead to new hobbies, interesting friends and maybe some new connections!

Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow. ~Douglas Pagels